What is the smallest component of an element?

The smallest component of an element is the atom. Atoms are the basic building blocks of matter and retain the properties of the element they comprise. Each element on the periodic table is made up of unique atoms that have distinct numbers of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

In contrast, molecules are formed when two or more atoms bond together, which means they consist of multiple atoms rather than being a single, indivisible unit of an element. Compounds are substances formed from two or more different elements that are chemically bonded, again involving multiple atoms. Ions are charged particles that can be formed when atoms gain or lose electrons, but they are not the fundamental units of elements themselves. Thus, the atom remains the fundamental and smallest component of an element.